Tekashi 6ix9ine Loses Trademark Battle Over His Own Name

Tekashi 6ix9ine’s own lawyer cannot find the controversial rapper, who’s been unable to trademark his stage name.

According to court documents obtained by AllHipHop, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board refused to grant him a trademark for the name 6ix9ine. The polarizing artist sought to register the moniker amid a legal battle with an artist named Warren Hamilton.

Hamilton claimed he’s been using the stage name SIX9 since 2007. He filed a lawsuit against 6ix9ine, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, in July.

“On September 6, 2022, the TTAB issued a final order sustaining the opposition by Hamilton and refusing the registration of Hernandez’s infringing 6IX9INE mark after Hernandez failed to file an amended answer in the Proceeding and file a response to the Plaintiff’s motion for default in the Proceeding,” Hamilton’s lawyer David Chase LanCarte wrote.

LanCarte spent weeks trying to settle matters with 6ix9ine’s lawyer Robert Meloni. At one point, their discussions were delayed due to Meloni suffering a heart attack.

“On August 9, 2022, Defendant Hernandez’s attorney, Robert Meloni, emailed me to explain that Mr. Meloni had a heart attack during the week of July 7, 2022 and ‘had not quite gotten back into the swing of work,’” LanCarte wrote. “Mr. Meloni asked if Plaintiff would consider withdrawing Plaintiff’s motion for entry of default.”

LanCarte eventually called Meloni to talk about 6ix9ine’s outstanding Initial Disclosures in the case. During that conversation, Meloni revealed he hadn’t spoken to 6ix9ine in months.

Meloni also admitted he had no idea where 6ix9ine was located. LanCarte was struggling to track down the rapper too.

“Nevertheless, Plaintiff has continued to try and locate Defendant Hernandez for the purposes of service,” he explained. “Specifically, on September 9, 2022, I researched other legal actions and matters in which Defendant Hernandez has been named as a party defendant. From my research, I have learned that Defendant Hernandez has a history of being a hard individual to locate and serve in other legal actions brought against him.”

LanCarte asked to serve Meloni since 6ix9ine cannot be located. Hamilton’s lawyer felt it was the best solution available.

“Given the fact that Defendant Hernandez exact whereabouts are unknown as Defendant Hernandez is constantly on the move and has security that surrounds him making personal service practically impossible, Plaintiff’s Hamilton intends to separately file a motion for alternative service, asking this Court for leave to process service upon Defendant Hernandez by personally serving his current counsel Robert Meloni, who has continued to hold himself out to represent Mr. Hernandez in the TTAB Proceeding even though he claims he has not communicated with his client in months and does not know where Mr. Hernandez is located,” he wrote.